Thursday 24th May 2012

Rough Beats festival, which was also due to stage Azealia Banks before she pulled out, was set to take place on June 8 - 10. Organisers blamed “financial pressures”.

A full statement read: “It is with a very heavy heart that we write to you to announce that, due to financial pressures, we have no responsible option but to cancel Rough Beats Festival 2012… This is a huge personal blow and incredibly disappointing as we truly believed that the brilliant line-up, the amazing collaborators and the physical and financial investment made by everyone involved was a winning formula and that we were on course to produce one of the most talked about music events of the summer.

“However, it is proving to be a very difficult environment for festivals… The decision to cancel has not been made lightly - indeed it goes against every instinct of our hearts - but not to do so would put all the contractors, contributors, artists, traders and suppliers at risk of substantial losses.”

Golden Down in Winchester was due to take place between June 15-17. Ticketholders have been offered a refund, or an exchange to attend Norfolk’s EDM Glade Festival in the same month instead.

A statement read: “It is with much regret that we announce the cancellation of Golden Down festival for this year. Unfortunately due to a number of circumstances beyond our control we have come to the realisation that we are unable to stage the festival that we had originally conceived; one that would meet the high expectations of both artists and audience.

“We would like to express our sincere regrets to the artists, and to everyone who has been working hard trying to bring Golden Down to fruition. We’d also like to thank the fans who’ve already bought tickets, and can only apologise that we are not able to deliver the festival that you wanted. Ticket holders will be automatically receive a full refund from their ticket agents or see the below offer from Glade Festival.”

Golden Down and Rough Beats join a long list of scrapped UK festivals this year. Some of the biggest names so far to be dropped can be seen with planned headliners below.

Meanwhile, Vince Power this week confirmed slow sales for Hop Farm, despite boasting Bob Dylan as a headline act.

CANCELLED FESTIVALS 2012

* Sonisphere UK (Queen, Kiss) - July 6-8 Knebworth Park

* The Big Chill 2012 (TBC) - August 2-5, Herefordshire

* GoGo Festival (Stooshe, Peaches) - June 8-10, London

* LadyRock Festival 2012 (KT Tunstall) - May 26, Manchester

* Titanic Lockdown (New Order, Happy Mondays) - June 2, Ireland

* Pride House (Elton John) - Summer TBC, Clapham Common, London

* Trowbridge Festival (Alisdair Roberts) - August 2-5, Wiltshire

* Kelvedon Free Music Festival (New Town Kings, Animal Noise) - July 14, Essex

* Harvest at Jimmy’s - September 7-9, Suffolk

Went to see The Enemy last night at Manchester Academy 1. It was good, but it was just a shame that it was only an hour long set.

Got tickets to go and see Blink 182 at the Manchester Apollo on 24th July this year!! 

So that means I’m going to see them twice in 2 months!!

Loving this song at the moment. Not what I would usually listen to, but everyone is allowed a change aren’t they?

Got the new album from The Enemy ‘Streets in the Sky’ can’t wait to listen to it!

Sam Smith & Company at Witton Albion Football FC Beer Festival with member @ste_pearce

At the Witton Albion FC 2nd Annual Beer Festival watching Ryan Jarvis. A lot more chilled out than the gigs I’ve been to over the past couple of days

The Royals playing The Brink as part of Liverpool Sound City. Awesome sound! #soundcity12

Lower Than Atlantis playing the O2 Academy for #soundcity12

Don Broco playing the O2 Academy. I’ve seen these guy before when they supported The Used at the Manchester HMV Ritz. Great gig!

Friday 18th May 2012

by Peter Guy

Liverpool Sound City 2012 boots into action in grand style as record numbers swamp the Pool - but it’s the lone sorcery of a Chicago wizard-cum-warrior that leaves Getintothis’ Peter Guy breathless.

Sound City is a special event for Liverpool - and in its fifth year it was fitting that something extra special was served up for it’s people.

One the day the Queen and Paul McCartney visited Liverpool, it was left to Willis Earl Beal, a name on few people’s radars, to make the big, lasting impression.

The Chicago beatnik, discharged from the Navy due to illness, rocked up to Liverpool and stationed himself outside Bold Street Coffee for much of yesterday - donning fitted grey leathers and Ray Ban’s, with legs straddled wide apart, and tooth pick unwavering in the corner of his mouth - he cut a striking figure to the many that passed him by.

Later that evening, he left an indelible imprint on Liverpool music which has rarely been equalled in five years of this momentous festival.

Climbing atop a chair in a suffocatingly packed Zanzibar, he unleashed the ghost of a young Cassius Clay married with the soulful spirit of Ray Charles - part preacherman, part pummelling powerhouse - fragility and ferocity embedding into your heart.

His lovelorn, killer blues - which saw him wrapped in a sheet howling and fist-thwacking a one-fist leather glove culminated with him grinding on the floor before whipping off his belt and cracking it into the steel chair. A festival defining set.

Elsewhere, the Australians were out in force showcasing their heavy duty guitar chops matched only by their heavy duty facial chops.

Head band-sporters Jackson Firebird were part Bjorn Borg imbued with the Queens of the Stone Age sledgehammer 70s clangs while Wolf Creek pirates Ironside bled all overMello Mello’s stage before unleashing hell in the form of aural carnage. The in-between banter revealed they’re actually all rather polite and lovely.

The overseas connection continued with an early Deerhoof pop pick in Bumper asPeople In the Box segued into the sweet smell of Cologne as COMA plied a Daft Punkmeets Fuck Buttons groove to the Shipping Forecast’s dungeon.

While Death In Vegas, despite their expansive fuse-testing lighting rig, in the Kazimier were decidedly strung out Deadbeat’s techno-drone-dub was a late night high as the Berliner threw in a timely, and fitting ode to the sad passing of Donna Summer - I Feel Love blurring out into Wolstenholme’s courtyard, one of many highs of Day One of Sound City.

Tim Hecker (very dark) and Clutter (lovely and light) added some textured shade to proceedings, but it was left to Matthew Barnes - aka Forest Swords to turn in the late-night set winner.

Forest Swords live at Screenadelica - picture by Sakura Zilla.

Making his long-awaited live debut in Liverpool - the GIT Award nominee didn’t just deliver, he revelled - displaying a confidence and verve which justified the lengthy wait for his first live outing.

Barnes joined by Loved Ones’ bass player Jay Freeman delighted with a variety of tricks including Spaghetti Western guitar, howling vocals and deep, deep, deep abyss-like beats from his superlative debut Dagger Paths. Glory Gongs the set high sounding ultra epic.

Oh, and he even dressed up with a river of golden chains raining down from his neck. Only fitting for right royal display.

Alkaline Trio at the O2 Academy! #soundcity12 is awesome!

ste-pearce:

LUKE! (Taken with Instagram at Epstein Theatre)

Have a listen to Luke Fenlon. An old uni mate of mine and he’s awesome! #soundcity12

Sat at my VIP table at the Echo Arena, ready for the Awards with @ste_pearce and @davey_sims #soundcity12